Drip retaining attachment for an umbrella



June 10, 1958 A. FOLTIS ETAL DRIP RETAINING ATTACHMENT FOR AN UMBRELLA 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 9, 1955 'INVENTORS. Anesjls Folhs Thimp I tflAttorney June 10, 1958 A. FOLTIS ETAL 2,833,058

DRIP RETAINING ATTACHMENT FOR AN UMBRELLA Filed may 9, 1955 I 2Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TORS ANESTIS FOLTIS PHILLIP KATES flm QWM I,ATTORNEY DRIP RETAINING ATTACHMENT FOR AN UMBRELLA Anestis Foltis andPhillip Kates, Jackson Heights, N. Y.

7 Application May 9, 1955, Serial No. 506,734

2 Claims. (Cl. 135-48) Our invention is an improved accessory forumbrellas; especially a drip retaining attachment for a closed umbrellathat has been wetted by exposure to rain, to prevent the water on thecloth cover from running down the end of the central rod and collectingin a small puddle on the floor.

An important object of my invention is to provide a drip catchingaccessory that can easily be put on the end of the rod to which theflexible ribs are pivotally secured; and will not detract from theappearance of even the most expensive umbrella; but on the contrary willmake the article whether closed or expanded, look even more finished.

A further object is to provide a drip retaining attachment for anumbrella so designed that it will cooperate with the ribs when theumbrella is raised, to strengthen the umbrella and brace it againstblowing out of the ribs and tearing of the cover inhigh winds.

An additional object is to provide a drip-catching accessory that can beslidably mounted on the central rod of the umbrella, and is designed toengage the'cover and be actuated by the inner ends of the ribs of theframework of the umbrella so as to move along the rod when the cover isdistended and folded; and thus kept in required position.

Yet a further'object is to provide a drip retaining attachment shaped tofit the umbrella so that the conventional ferrule near the outer end ofthe rod can be entirely discarded.

Another object is to provide an accessory that will catch water from aclosed umbrella, that will be durable in use, and that can be readilyput on and slipped ofl at will.

The advantages of our invention are fully set forth in the ensuingdescription and the characteristics are defined in the appended claims.The drawings illustrate several embodiments of the device, but stillother forms may contain the invention, with changes in structuraldetails, according to the general principle to which the inventionconforms.

On said drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing an umbrella with the attachmentthereon in operative position.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the attachment enlarged and partly insection, on the rod of an umbrella.

Figure 3 shows the umbrella with the cover raised and the attachment inplace to strengthen the ribs.

Figures 4, 5 and 6 are sectional views each showing a differentembodiment of my invention.

I show on Figure 1 an umbrella of the usual construction having acentral stem or rod 1 with ribs 2 pivotally connected in the usual wayto one end of the rod; and over the ribs is a cover of sheet material 3.The one end of the rod beyond the cover, indicated at 4, has a dripretaining attachment which is slipped on the end 4. The attachment oraccessory has a cup-shaped body with a curved convex exterior and abeaded rim 7a, and is of greater diameter than the thickness of the rodand the itcd States Patent 2 junction of the ribs with the rod'l. Theother end of the rod 1 has a handle 8 which has a ring 9, for example,so

that it can be hung from a hook 10 on a wall or other supipclarzt 11.The neck 6 is of course hollow with a beaded en The accessory as shownin Figure 4 has the cup-shaped body 7 aflixed to a funnel-shaped tubularmember with a flaring portion 68 within the body 7. The neck 69 of saidmember projects through a central opening in the body and has indentedportions 70 which grip the rod and hold said member in fixed positionthereon adjacent one end of said rod. On the neck 69 is an outsidecircumferential bead or projection 71 and the body 7 is held in placetightly in the space or groove between the flaring portion 68 and saidbead. The cup and flaring portion are of course presented to the clothcover 3, and the rod 1 is surrounded by an annular member 72 adjacentthe rim of the flaring portion 68. The ribs 2 are pivotally attached tothe member 72, in the same way as shown in Figure 6. When the ribs aredistended the cover 3 is spread as indicated by the curved dash lines 3and the edge of the portion 68 then abuts the, cover and the ribs andresists deformation of the umbrella in storms and high winds, the entiremember 70 being rigid for this purpose.

In Figure 5 the accessory is illustrated with the funnel shaped tubularmember having a flared portion 63a in the cup as before, but thisportion is conical, and does not have a spherical contour as in Figure4. The outer extremity of the neck 69a of the tubular member is closed,as indicated at 73.

In Figure 6 the cup-shaped body 7 and the annular member 72, to whichthe ribs 2 are pivotally attached are separated by a greater distance,and the body 7 is afiixed with the edge of its central opening in anannular groove 74 of a tubular member 75. This member projects withinthe body 7 and has an annular outside groove 76 in which the centralpart of the cloth cover is secured. The member is widened or flaredadjacent the groove and the inside bead formed by the groove is spacedfrom the rod 1. Surrounding the rod is a spiral spring 77 seatingagainst the member 72 and the inner end of the member 75, which isslidably mounted on the rod 1. When the ribs 2 are distended the cover 3is spread and assumes a shape approximately as indicated by the brokenline 78. The part of the cover between the members 72 and 75 resembles apeak as indicated at 79. The spring 77 is now compressed; the member 72is moved towards the body 7 and the member 75 and body 7 are pushedtowards the adjacent end of the rod, and the member 75 slides along therod for a short distance. When the ribs are lowered, the cover 3 pullsthe body 7 and member 75 back and the spring 77 returns the member 72 toits original position on the rod 1.

Having described my invention, what I believe to be new is:

l. A drip retaining device for an umbrella having a central rod withhandle at one end, expansible ribs attached at one extremity to said rodat the opposite end portion thereof, and a cover on said ribs, saiddevice having an open hollow cup-shaped body concave on one side with arim of greater diameter than the rod, said body being disposed betweenthe ribs and cover and the opposite end of the rod, with its concaveside and rim presented to. the ribs and cover, to collect water when thecover is wet and the said opposite end is'lower-most, said body having acentral opening through which the rod projects, an annular member insaid opening surrounding said rod and having an exterior annular groovereceiving the edge of the opening in the body, said member having a rimof relatively small diameter within said body and encircled by the rimof said body.

2. The retaining device according to claim 1, wherein said rim of themember in the body is spaced from the rod and the rim of the body, thecover being secured to said member, the rod having a slidable ringthereon within the cover, the ribs being joined to said ring, and acoiled spring on the rod between said ring and said member.

- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSSusman Nov. 20, 1883 Hindes Apr. 28, 1896 Madonna Sept. 8, 1914 BaityFeb. 22, 1921

